Astros' Springer beats D-backs with 11th-inning HR

[June 02, 2016]  HOUSTON -- George Springer drilled a walk-off home run with two outs in the 11th inning, carrying the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.

Springer sent the first pitch of his sixth plate appearance out to left-center field for his first career walk-off homer. His 13th homer of the season delivered the Astros (25-29) their fifth consecutive victory.

The Diamondbacks (23-32) dropped their seventh game in nine contests.

Right-hander Michael Feliz (4-1) earned the win with two perfect innings of relief. Springer belted his homer off right-hander Tyler Clippard (2-2).

The Diamondbacks mustered a surprising rally against Astros closer Luke Gregerson, who was pitching for the fourth time in five games.

Houston extended its lead to three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when pinch hitter Tony Kemp delivered a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Marwin Gonzalez. That additional run proved significant.

Gregerson plunked Jean Segura with a pitch and then surrendered a run-scoring double to Michael Bourn. Two batters later, Jake Lamb launched the first pitch of his at-bat into the Astros bullpen, his ninth home run, pulling the Diamondbacks even.

After both struck out with the bases loaded in the third inning, Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis rallied the Astros in consecutive two-out at-bats in the fifth. Correa rifled an RBI single to right field to score Jose Altuve with the tying run before Gattis smacked his sixth homer of the season out to left field off Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray.

The big inning gave Houston a 3-1 lead. The Astros strung together four consecutive two-out hits off Ray, who appeared to find his groove after escaping a bases-loaded jam in the third.

Houston starter Mike Fiers worked six innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Ray permitted three runs on six hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out six.

Fiers wobbled early but had his defense to thank.

Center fielder Carlos Gomez delivered a pair of sparkling plays to support Fiers.

Astros right fielder George Springer (4) hits a double during the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Gomez first erased Bourn, who attempted to go first to third on a one-out single in the first inning. Gomez victimized Bourn again in the third, tracking down a deep fly ball to left-center before making a leaping catch at the wall for the second out.

Fiers walked two batters and allowed a single to Paul Goldschmidt yet escaped the first inning unscathed. He did uncork a wild pitch that scored Brandon Drury in the third, but Gomez and left fielder Jake Marisnick delivered with spectacular defensive plays.

Gattis also cut down a pair of would-be base stealers, nailing Segura in the first inning and Yasmany Tomas to complete an inning-ending double play in the fifth.

NOTES: Arizona manager Chip Hale plans to start DH Rickie Weeks Jr. both games against the Astros in an attempt to get Weeks regular at-bats. Entering Wednesday, Weeks had only 53 at-bats in 38 games with the Diamondbacks. ... Astros C Evan Gattis made a second consecutive start behind the plate and third in four games, the first time this season he has worked with such frequency as the backstop. After catching RHP Mike Fiers on Wednesday, the only member of the rotation that Gattis hasn't caught is LHP Dallas Keuchel. ... Diamondbacks OF David Peralta is nearing a return from the 15-day disabled list, with a couple extended spring training games on tap before a potential recall this weekend when Arizona visits the Cubs. Peralta landed on the disabled list on May 15 because of right wrist

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.